Food sector measurement capabilities

National Measurement Institute offers testing, certification and accreditation. We cover services including for compliance, reference materials, allergen and Nanometrology.

About NMI services

As Australia’s peak measurement body, the National Measurement Institute (NMI) can provide world-class food and agriculture measurement services and solutions. With our state-of-the-art laboratories we can help you meet your regulatory and quality requirements.

To ensure our commitment to quality, our laboratories hold certifications and accreditations including:

Our testing capabilities

Bio-toxins in seafood

  • Histamine and other biogenic amines
  • Domoic acid (ASP) 
  • Paralytic shellfish toxin (PST/PSP)
  • Diarrhetic shellfish poison (DSP)

Mycotoxins

  • Aflatoxins including B1, G1, B2, G2
  • Aflatoxin M1 in dairy

Organic contaminants

  • Poly chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
  • Dioxins and ‘dioxin like’ (PCBs)
  • Phthalates
  • Poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
  • Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) / perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
  • Volatile and semi-volatile organics (VOC and SVOC)

Dairy contaminants

  • Nonyl-phenols
  • Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs)
  • Dicyandiamide (DCD)
  • Melamine and cyanuric acid

Agricultural chemical residues

Veterinary chemical residues

  • Antibiotics residues 
  • Fluoroquinolones, quinolones and malachite green
  • Rodenticides
  • Non-antibiotic veterinary drugs
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
  • Tetracycline
  • Nitrofurans
  • Metals and inorganic contaminants
  • Heavy metals, including inorganic As, Cd and Hg
  • Food standards code compliance testing

Microbiological services

Food borne virus testing

  • Hepatitis A

Carbon monoxide

  • In packaged fish and meat products

Food allergen and intolerance proteins analysis for labelling and compliance 

  • Gluten
  • Peanut
  • Tree nut
  • Egg
  • Milk
  • Soy
  • Seafood/crustacean
  • Sesame.

Nutritional testing

Compliance with nutrition panels

  • For Australian and international market requirements

Food constituents

  • Fat, protein, ash, moisture 
  • Fatty acid profile 
  • Amino acid profile 
  • Sugars profile 
  • Sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus 
  • Cholesterol, phytosterols 
  • Proximates including peroxide value, acidity, free fatty acids, total solids 

Fat soluble vitamins and nutrients

  • Retinol (vitamin A)
  • Carotenes (alpha and beta)
  • Ergocalciferol (vitamin D2)
  • Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) 
  • Tocopherols and tocotrienols (vitamin E)
  • Phylloquinone (vitamin K)

B group vitamins and nutrients

  • Thiamin (vitamin B1)
  • Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
  • Niacin (vitamin B3)
  • Pantothenic Acid (vitamin B5)
  • Vitamin B6 
  • Vitamin B12
  • Folic acid 
  • Folates 
  • Vitamin C

Food authenticity and provenance

Honey

  • New Zealand official manuka honey chemical characterisation
  • Bioactivity magnesium oxide (MGO)
  • Hydroxyl methyl furfural (HMF)
  • Dihydroxy acetone (DHA)
  • Other quality parameters available upon request

DNA based speciation

  • Common species for cooked and processed meats
  • Rendered meals and pet foods
  • Fish
  • Dairy

Ruminant DNA in stockfeed

  • Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) 
  • Rendered meats and bone meal (MBM)

Product profiling and comparative analysis (instrumental)

  • Odour
  • Taint

Genetically modified commodities (GMO)

  • As requested

Packaging services 

Investigative analysis and advice

  • Chemical taints
  • Foreign matter
  • Chemical and microbiological spoilage

Consultancy

We work with clients to provide solutions to problems in chemical analysis.

Our work relies on our specialised metrology facilities, which are unique in Australia.

International Depository Authority

We are an International Depository Authority for receiving and storing deposits under the Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit of Microorganisms for the Purposes of Patent Procedure.

Analytical services for compliance obligations

We can help you meet compliance obligations for:

How to request a service from NMI

  1. Before submitting your sample, please contact us first to discuss your requirements and receive a quote. 
  2. Once you’ve received your formal quote, including our estimated turn-around time, you’ll need to complete the supplied sample submission form.
  3. Read our terms and conditions.
  4. Deliver your samples together with your completed form in business hours. The delivery address is located on the form. You must cover delivery costs. We don’t accept responsibility for a sample’s safety or integrity until it’s received.

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